Electronic Bills of Lading
CargoWise offers a secure, integrated digital platform for creating, exchanging, and managing electronic Master and House Bills of Lading (eMBL and eHBL), approved by major industry bodies, to eliminate paper delays, accelerate cargo release and payment, ensure verified and auditable transactions, and streamline global trade workflows across carriers, forwarders, beneficial cargo owners, and banks.
Release cargo without paper delays
Exchange electronic bills instantly to eliminate courier dependency and accelerate surrender at destination.
Accelerate payment and time to cash
Enable faster validation and fewer discrepancies for trade finance workflows, supporting quicker settlement and earlier access to working capital.
Replace paper risk with digital certainty
Every transaction is verified, time-stamped, and auditable, creating a trusted digital record for all parties.
Approved by and aligned with
Approved by the International Group of P&I Clubs and aligned with DCSA, FIATA, ICC, BIMCO, and the FIT Alliance.
Digitize the document that drives global trade
Replace paper-based processes with Electronic Bills of Lading for more secure and efficient digital document management.
Align the flow of information with the flow of goods
Both electronic Master (eMBL) and House Bills of Lading (eHBL) can be created, exchanged, and managed through integrated digital workflows. CargoWise extends secure digital exchange across carriers, forwarders, BCOs, and banks, replacing couriered documents with fast, transparent collaboration.
- eMBL
- eHBL
Electronic Master Bill of Lading (eMBL)
Request, receive, view, and transfer eMBLs directly in CargoWise. Once the carrier publishes the eMBL, the document and title registry details are available in-platform so users can check the current holder, transfer title, and request amendments or surrender.
- Request and receive carrier-issued eMBLs directly in CargoWise
- View the current holder and bill status in real time
- Transfer title securely
- Surrender electronically to trigger cargo release
Electronic House Bill of Lading (eHBL)
Issue electronic house bills of lading directly from CargoWise and enroll customers to receive them digitally. Customers manage their bills securely in Galileo and can share them with counterparties or banks alongside other trade documents.
- Create and issue electronic house bills directly from shipment data
- Publish bills instantly to customers and trade partners
- Keep documents synchronized with shipment workflows
- Update or amend bills digitally without manual document exchange
Supporting every party in the transaction
Electronic Bills of Lading operate within a connected ecosystem across global trade and logistics.
- Ocean Carriers: Issue and manage master bills digitally, enabling faster cargo release and eliminating paper handoffs.
- Forwarders: Create and manage electronic House and Master Bills in a single digital workflow, ensuring alignment between HBL and MBL data while reducing manual rekeying, errors, and delays.
- Trade Finance Banks: Receive and validate full digital document sets electronically to streamline letters of credit or documentary collections operations and reduce time to payment.
- Exporters: Digitally receive and transfer electronic bills and other trade documents to accelerate payment, reduce courier risk, and eliminate paper handling at origin.
- Importers: Receive and surrender electronic bills earlier to secure faster cargo release, improve inventory planning, and avoid port delays and demurrage.
Digitization that delivers beyond the document
- Real-time collaboration and visibility: Every transfer, endorsement, and surrender is encrypted, time-stamped, and visible to all authorized parties, enabling faster decisions and fewer disputes.
- Connectivity with leading trade finance banks: Your customers can share complete digital document sets with trusted trade finance banks, reducing discrepancies and accelerating time to cash.
- Fraud prevention and data security: Every eBL is encrypted and hashed, reducing the risk of forgery, loss, or unauthorized access.
- Global compliance and recognition: Aligned with DCSA, FIATA, ICC, BIMCO, and the FIT Alliance, supporting both negotiable and straight bills.
- Sustainability at scale: Eliminate printed documents, couriers, and physical archives to reduce cost and emissions tied to paper-based exchange.
Bills of Lading inside your shipment workflow
Electronic Bills of Lading are created and managed directly within CargoWise jobs and bookings. No disconnected portals. No separate document systems.
Link bill issuance, transfer, amendment, and surrender to shipment milestones and task workflows, ensuring documentation stays aligned with operational execution.
Electronic Bills Of Lading, included in the CargoWise Value Pack
Electronic Bills Of Lading are one of many capabilities available as part of the CargoWise Value Packs. Discover how the Value Packs expand what you can do across the CargoWise platform.
Frequently asked questions
What is an Electronic Bill of Lading?
An Electronic Bill of Lading is a secure digital equivalent of a paper bill of lading that confirms transport and ownership of goods, enables trade finance, and authorizes cargo release. It carries the same legal and operational function as paper, without relying on physical originals.
How is an Electronic Bill of Lading different from a paper Bill of Lading?
An electronic Bill of Lading (eBL) replicates the functions of a paper BL but in a digital format. Unlike paper BLs, eBLs are:
- Transferred instantly and securely online
- Immune to physical loss or damage
- Easier to track and audit
Are Electronic Bills of Lading legally recognized?
Yes. Electronic Bills of Lading issued through CargoWise align with major international frameworks and are approved by the International Group of P&I Clubs. They support negotiable and straight bills and are aligned with DCSA, FIATA, ICC, BIMCO, SWIFT, and FIT Alliance standards.
What legal framework governs the use of eBLs?
eBLs are governed by:
- The Bolero Rulebook which all participants in a Bolero eBL need to sign and is a legal multilateral contract that all participants must comply with.
- UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR)
- English Common Law (for Bolero)
- P&I Club Rules (International Group of Protection & Indemnity Clubs)
These frameworks ensure eBLs are legally equivalent to paper BLs.
What is a Title Registry and how does it work?
The Title Registry is a secure digital ledger within the Bolero platform that records Holdership, Title to the goods, and transfer of eBLs. It ensures:
- There is only one legal holder of a Bolero eBL at any one time
- EBL can only be surrendered by the designated title Holdership
- Full audit trail of endorsements
How is title transferred in an electronic bill?
Title is transferred through secure digital endorsement within a controlled title registry. Each transaction is encrypted, time-stamped, and auditable, creating a verifiable chain of custody without relying on paper handoffs.
How is an eBL surrendered?
An eBL is surrendered by:
- The consignee who is designated as the title holder can surrender the eBL electronically to the carrier when the eBL is passed to them and they are also the holder.
- The carrier then electronically acknowledges receipt of the Surrender notification and releases the goods.
Can an eBL be converted back to a paper Bill of Lading?
Yes, under specific conditions. The carrier can reissue a paper Bill of Lading if requested to do so:
- The current holder can issue a Switch To Paper instruction electronically to the carrier.
- The eBL is cancelled in the Title Registry. This is typically done when the next party in the supply chain cannot receive the bill electronically in their systems.
Which carriers and ports support eBLs?
Many major carriers and ports support eBLs, including:
- Maersk, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM
- Ports in Singapore, Rotterdam, Dubai, Mumbai, and others are expanding rapidly across global trade routes.
How do Electronic Bills of Lading integrate with existing shipment workflows?
Electronic Master and House Bills of Lading are embedded directly within CargoWise jobs and bookings. Issuance, transfer, amendment, and surrender are linked to shipment milestones, eliminating the need for separate portals or parallel document systems.
Can Electronic Bills of Lading be used with trade finance instruments?
Yes. Electronic bills can be shared with trade finance banks as part of complete digital document sets to support letters of credit, electronic presentations, and collections. This reduces discrepancies and accelerates time to payment.
What security measures protect Electronic Bills of Lading?
Each electronic bill is encrypted, hashed, and recorded within a secure digital registry. All transfers and endorsements are validated and time-stamped to prevent unauthorized access, forgery, or duplication.
Electronic Bills of Lading guide
A downloadable guide is available for further information.
Global logistics moves fast. We help you move smarter.
Let us show you how CargoWise can transform your operations.